15 startups won this year’s Southern Africa Startup Awards, one of five regional competitions within the Global Startup Awards (GSA) Africa. The startups were from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The Southern Africa Startup Awards, which are part of the Global Startup Awards (GSA), have offered a venue for startups with high impact potential to engage with investors since their inception in 2018. They will be looking for emerging innovation leaders, tech startups, and entrepreneurs who can demonstrate new solutions to Africa’s vast unmet needs. The Southern Africa Startup Awards recognizes and encourage entrepreneurs and innovation ecosystem leaders who are making a difference in the following important areas:
- ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
- INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH
- NOTABLY HARNESS DIVERSIFIED EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATION
- STIMULATE CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATION
The announcement was made late last week at the inaugural edition of GITEX Africa 2023 in Marrakech, Morocco which ran from the 31st of May to the 2nd of June 2023. GITEX Africa 2023 is Africa’s own tech gathering that truly unites every community in the innovation ecosystem across Africa. GITEX AFRICA is held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform and hosted by Digital Development Agency (ADD).
This year’s Southern Africa competition saw South African startups win 11 awards. Best Newcomer (BAOM Eco Solutions), Venture Capitalist of the Year (Digital Africa Ventures), Best Accelerator / Incubator Programme (WomHub), Diversity Role Model of the Year (NOOSi), Ecosystem Hero of the Year (Innovation City), Best Health-Tech Startup (LIQID Medical), Best Commerce-Tech Startup (Floatpays), Best Mobility & Logistics-Tech Startup (Basket eCommerce), Best Green-Tech Startup (Mzansi Meat Co.
Zimbabwe came in second place with two awards for Startup of the Year (Forestry & Citrus Research) and Best Co-Working Space (Tech Hub), while Mozambique and Namibia won Best Agri-Tech Startup (Sustainable Planet) and Founder of the Year (Lynkwise), respectively.
These regional winners will now advance to the GSA Africa Continental Finals, where they will battle against competitors from Northern, Eastern, Western, and Central Africa. Startups that are named African winners will then be invited to the GSA Grand Finale, where they will have the rare opportunity to demonstrate their ideas among some of the world’s best entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and ecosystem facilitators.
